Fastening or coupling.



G. l.. KEENER.

FAST'ENING 0R COUPLING.

APPLICATION ,FILEu 0cT.19.|91a.

LQQX'Z l Patented Mar. 18,1919.

GEORGE I. KEENER OF WESTQN, WEST VIRGINIA.

, IEASTEN IN G- R COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application ledpOctobe'r 19, 1918. Serial No. 258,882.

p To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE I. KEENER, 'a citizen of the United Stateaand resident of Weston, in the county of Lewis, and State of West Virginia, haveninvented certainI new and useful Improvements in Fasteners Vor Couplings, of which the following v is a specification.

The present invention relates fasteners or couplings for anti-skid chains and other devices, and this application is a division of the copending application for Patent on anti-skid chains, filedMay 8th, 1918, Serial No. 233,211. ,s

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel and improved fastener or coupling A for useK inA anti-skid chains of vehicle tires. A*or for use in other devices, adapted for conveniently and effectively drawing together and. holding two Sets of links or mem-I bers, 'means' being provided or holding the fastener Aor coupling in closed position against 'accidental loosening of the parts.

A further object is to provide such a fastener or coupling embodying a loopshaped cam lever for drawing the links-or members toward .one another, and novel means for'latching said lever in closed position. f

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will -be apparent as vthe invention is better understood, the invention. r-

1 sides in the construction and combination. of

parts as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

'.lheinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fi'gure v1 1s a perspective viewv of the coupling.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the latch or catch in releasing posltion. l

Although the present fasteneror coupling is intended especially for use on the antiskid chains of pneumatic vehicle tires, it'can 'be usedto advantage for various purposes. when such a coupling' is desired. As illustrated the cam lever coupling 14:, which is of hookor loophform, used for drawing togetherand connecting two sets 'of links 15 andl16, the links 16. being connected to a`r ring or circular'link 11;` These links form part of an anti-skid chain, but. they can be taken to represent other members for 16, and the other terminal of the bill pro.

jects beyond said pivot portion to be inserted-through one of the links 15 accord- 'ing to the adjustment desired, so that the lever in being swung will draw the links 15 and 16 tow-ard one another and the link 15 .which slidably engages the lever will come to rest 1n the'seat formed by the bend or bight of its loop, thus'completing the connection of the parts. This lever, therefore, provides a convenient and effective means for drawing the links toward one another and holding them thus. .Y

In order to hold` the lever or hook 14 in closed position, and to prevent the accidental loosening or opening of the lever, a latch or catch 17 is provided, and is of loop form with eyes at its ends pivotally embracing the ring or link 11 astride the respective link 16- which engages said ring. The free or intermediate portion ofthe latch 17 has an offset portion 18 in which the bill of the lever or hook is seatable outwardly when the latch is swung over the` free end of the reduced portion-of the latch opening, the

accidental releasing of theV lever is `prevent- 1ed due to the fact that lthe latch cannot swing away from the lever, because the knob 19 extends to opposite sides and is too large to pass through the notch portlon 18. It thus requires manual effort to yuncouple the two sets of links, the lever being first pressed against the ring 11 and the latch orv catch 17 'then being swung away fromthe lever over its knob 9, which is not now prevented because the the way of thefportion 18 so that said portion can swing vpast the knob. After the latch'is thus-released; the lever or hook can beswung open to let the link 15 slip there-I from.4

Having thus described the invention, what f is claimed as new is 1. A coupling embodying aI lever having morro.,

When the lever is pressed' Patented Mai. is, 1era.

nob 19' has beenA moved out of a .pivot portion, a loop and a -knob atits free terminaba ring, a link connection between said ring and pivot-portion, 'and a latch of. loop form having eyes at its ends pivotally embracing said ring adjacent to saidl link connection to maintain the latch and link connection in relative-position, said v latch being swingable over said knoby 2. A coupling embodying a lever having a pivot portion, a loop and a-knob at its free terminal, a ring, a link connection between said ringand pivot portion, and la latch of loop form having eyes atits ends ,pivotally embracing said ring adjacent to" said link connection tomaintain the latch 15 having a reduced portion in'which the lever -20 iss'eatable `away from said ring and through which the knob cannot move.

' In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 17th day'of October, 1918. o

GEORGE i. KEENER. y 

